I float through these galleries and sit in awe. Some of these images are truely stunning, some are average, some "simplistic." I kinda wonder to myself what is art. To me the visual arts should capture a moment, a feeling, or an emotion. I live in minnesota (near the twin cities) and we have an ongoing issue here. You see the art galleries in minneapolis tend to run things based in and around controversy. I.E. An interesting show centered around a photograph of a nude (female) jesus surounded by nude (male) folowers during the last supper. The image itself is fantastic...reguardless of ideaology or belief. Yet because it was a nude woman portraying christ, people were outraged. I see similar patterns here as well, only on a smaller scale and it usually involves nudity. I find it interesting that lately the Byce top 20 has been going to truely imaginative images...not just raw nudity. Anyway, So what do you all think....in your opinion what is art? I'm not out to "flame" anyone on this issue I'm just curious. KAP

To be honest I think Art could be just about anything. If you spit in the wind and it splats on your face, that is art>> If you call it art, then it's art. Even if no one else thinks so or likes it. To me art is anything created to be an expression, Be it graphic, music, sculpure, abstract, whatever. If the creator was expressing themselves in some manner then it is indeed art, even if I hate it and don't consider it art.

well, I suppose there's a difference between art and good art. Good art is as much chosen by the viewer as it is by the creator. www.annsartgallery.com

The issue of depth comes into it. Read some art crit on a famous painting - see what subtleties lie below the surface that casual viewing doesn't bring out. Try the same techniques on a newspaper photo. Everything is on the surface. That's the difference between art and non-art, or at the very least, between good art and bad art.

I have to agree with everything thats been said up to this point. Art is anything you want it to be, good art is different for different people. Invariably however, for an art piece to be considered good overall, people must be moved by it in some way. There are many popular works here at Renderosity (most commonly found in the Poser Hot 20 list) that I dont consider good art. They can be technically flawless, but dont do anything that I havent already seen a thousand times. For me, art must have something original about it. It should make me think about something from a different perspective, or feel about something in a unique way. This is just my opinion however, and I dont presume to speak about what art is for others.

I know what you mean about the Top 20, Loneglyph. In fact, I remember seeing some worthless piece of art called "Amazing Stick Boy" in there. 1398 viewings! :) Seriously, thought, I agree with your assessment that art is art if it moves one. Sometimes, that emotional movement is a negative one, as with the crucifixes in jars of urine and such, but there you go.

In the two months I've been on Renderosity, I've seen this discussion surface many times. What is art? Is the Amazing Stick Boy art? Art is art. Period. It's creative expression. Art is done, not just to create emotion in the viewer, but satisfaction in the artist. Satisfaction that they created something, an escape from their lives. There is nothing more satisfying than having someone comment on your work, to acknowledge it. Granted, not everyone is Leonardo DaVinci, but their art is no less valid if it has served it's purpose. Whether it moves the viewer or not, is strictly relative anyway. There was an artwork at a local gallery where there were two strips of different color on a white canvas. Probably took the artist 5 minutes. However, add a dash of story to it (the struggle of the colors of man) and right away it's sellable art. To me, it's just two lines on a canvas. Then there is the "art" of the monkey and elephant that sells for $5000 a piece. Art is what is seen by whoever wants to see it. Some see it as two lines, others as ingenius. Who's to say which is right? As long as you brought up the issue, I've seen some say that Poser, Bryce and other digital mediums can't be art, because all they are are pushing buttons and placing objects and I take great offense to that. These are tools, just as a brush is a tool, a tool to get your ideas into the media of your choice. How you got there, should be irrelevant. Of course, some would say that brush artists are more talented. Well, I think the digital artistry of many here would disprove that. A tool in a msster's hand, will result in a master's work, no matter what the media. Besides, those that put down Poser, Bryce, LightWave, Maya, etc, etc, have probably never worked with these programs to know that they are just as difficult to put together a scene that looks realistic (or abstract) as their canvas counterparts. As to the top 20, I have to agree that it's a shame that many masterful artworks don't ever reach there, but the top 20 is more of a glimpse into what "sells." And sex and nudity sell everytime, over a landscape, etc. However, quality artwork is rewarded in other ways, not the least of which is reputation. Besides, most Renderosity members I've talked to usually use the What's New rather than the top 20 that they know is skewed. Getting off soapbox now...

First off, Amazing Stick Boy(TM) should not be considered art! Anyone who feels the impulse to call Amazing Stick Boy(TM) art should discontinue use and seek immediate professional help. If anything about Amazing Stick Boy(TM) could be considered art, it would be the humorous comments left by people who were amazed that someone would even post such garbage. Amazing Stick Boy(TM) did not deserve any of the viewings it got, nor did it deserve any of the 60 comments left behind (except maybe the really insulting ones.) With that said, Ill admit I chuckled a little bit when I saw it reach #1 on the Hot 20 list even with a thumbnail that was not misleading in any way (that would qualify the list as a little more than skewed.) I am proud to announce that Amazing Stick Boy(TM) is now relegated to page 1138 in the Best Ranking List (at 24 thumbs per page at that!) May he rest in peace...